PEDA

300 g/1cup milk powder
240 m/ 1 cup milk
75 g sugar - preferably jaggery or palm sugar
100 g ghee/ butter
cardamom powder according to taste - start with ¼ tsp

pistachios to decorate (soak in the water for 6 h)

Kasmiri pada/ Kesar pada

Add a pinch of Saffron while milk is boiling for Kesar Peda.

• Bring milk to a boil, add sugar and ghee.

• Stir to dissolve/melt. Keep the mix gently bubbling for 6-7 minutes. Slow to a simmer and slowly add milk powder. Mix well and stir for 2-3 minutes.

• Add cardamom powder and stir well. The mix should have come away from the side of the pan and become a solid lump by now. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

• Take small balls, roll slowly in hand and flatten on something like a cutting board. Put half of pistachio on the top. You can use a special Penda stamper to impress leaf, floral or star patterns on the sweets. Leave to cool and set.

ALMOND -PISTACHIO ROLLS

(makes 25 pieces)

For the pistachio dough

½ kg pistachios

1 cup sugar

1 pinches saffron

½ tsp cardamom powder

For the almond dough

1 kg almonds

1 kg sugar

For decoration

silver foil

Preparation time:20 min, Cooking time: 30 minutes

• For the pistachio dough

• Put the pistachios into boiling water for 4-5 minutes.

• Drain, remove the skin by rubbing on a piece of cloth and grind into a powder.

• Mix the sugar in 8 to 9 tbsp of water and boil in a broad vessel until it forms a soft ball. Add the pistachios powder and allow to cool.

• Warm the saffron in a small vessel, add 2 tsp of milk and rub until the saffron dissolves.

• Add the saffron liquid and the cardamom powder to the pistachio dough.

• Roll out the dough and make small rounds.

• For the almond dough

• Soak the almonds in water for 12 hours. Drain and put into boiling water. Cover and leave for 10 min.

• Drain the almonds, remove the skin and drop into cold water so that they do not discolor.

• Grind with a little water in a grinder. Add the sugar and cook until the mixture forms into a dough. Leave for 5 min.

• How to proceed

• Roll out the almond dough and cut into square pieces which exactly cover pistachio rolls.

• Place a pistachio roll on an almond square piece and roll up.

• Repeat with the remaining pistachio and almond squares.

• Decorate with silver foil, cut into small pieces and serve.

COCONUT SOUFFLE

400 g condensed milk / sweetened

5 cups tender coconut water

3 tbsp gelatin

¼ cup chocolate syrup

• Dissolve the gelatin in half a cup of coconut water over a pan of hot water. 

• Mix the condensed milk to the dissolved gelatin.

• Mix the above mixture with the tender coconut water and refrigerate it. 

• When set garnish with chocolate syrup.

• You can serve it with cherries and strawberries.

COCONUT BURFI

400 g condensed milk

300 g grated coconut 

100 g  full cream milk powder

½ cup milk 

few drops red color

• Heat the condensed milk, coconut powder, milk and milk powder in a thick-bottomed kadai. 

• Once heated cook on slow flame till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. 

• Divide the mixture into two equal portions. 

• Spread one portion evenly on a greased plate. 

• To the other portion add the red color and mix well. 

• Spread it over the white layer and allow it to cool. 

• Cut into squares and serve.

PANEER AND COCONUT BALLS

(makes 20 balls)

For the paneer balls

½ kg paneer

8 tbsp powdered sugar

2-3 tsp rose water

a few drops rose essence

For the coconut mixture

2 cups dried coconut

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 pinches saffron

a little milk

For decoration

4 -5 blanched and chopped pistachios, silver foil

• For paneer balls

• Mix all the ingredients very well and make a dough.

• Divide the dough into 2 portions and shape into small round balls.

• For the coconut mixture

• Cook the coconut and sugar for 10 minutes on a slow flame. Cool.

• Warm the saffron in a small vessel. Add a little milk and run in until the saffron dissolves.

• Add the saffron mixture to the coconut mixture. Mix well.

• How to proceed

• Make a covering of the coconut mixture over each paneer ball using hand pressure.

• Arrange the balls in a plate and cover with silver foil. Chill.

• Cut each ball into 2 parts. Decorate with pistachios.

• Serve cold.

• Preparation time:20 min, Cooking time: 10 minutes

 MANGO VANILLA BARFI

(makes 10-12 Pieces)

4 cups full fat milk

¾ cup sugar

a pinch alum powder

4 tbsp mango juice

¾ cup paneer

3 tbsp sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence

for decoration:

chopped almonds and pistachios

Preparation time:10 min, Cooking time: 20 minutes

• Put the milk in a large vessel, preferably in a non-stick one and boil on a high flame.

• When it starts boiling, add ¾ cup sugar. Boil again for 3-4 min on a high flame.

• Add the alum powder and continue boiling and stirring until the mixture becomes thick.

• Test by putting a little mixture on a small plate. If it forms a small ball, add the mango juice and continue cooking for at least 4 min.

• Test once again by putting a little mixture on a small plate. If it forms a soft ball remove from the heat and spread on a plate.

• Crumble the paneer and knead well for 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons of sugar and cook in a pan on a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Cool slightly and add the vanilla essence.

• Spread this mixture over the mango mixture.

• Sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Store in refrigerator.

• Cut into pieces and serve.

 BOONDI LADDOO

For decoration

silver foil

• Mix the flour, rice flour, baking powder.
• Make a smooth thick batter. Heat the oil. Take the batter and pour it over a sieve with round holes.
• Tap it gently with a spoon so that small balls of dough fall into the oil. Make the balls and keep aside. Heat the sugar and water till reaches 1/2 thread consistency.
• Mix in the saffron and cardamom powder and fried boondies. When the mixture is still warm make into balls. Boondi Ladoo are ready to be served
• If the mixture cools balls cannot be made as the sugar crystallizes.

• Decorate with silver foil, cut into small pieces and serve.

 BESAN LADOO

2 cups gram flour (besan)
1½ cup sugar (grinded)
1 cup ghee

1 hand full of raisins

• In a kadhai mix gram flour and ghee over a low heat.
• Stir constantly to avoid lumps.
• When it releases an appetizing smell, it is ready.
• Remove from the heat and let it cool.
• Add sugar and raisins to the gram flour and mix thoroughly.
• Now form ping-pong size balls of the mixture.
• Besan Ladoo are ready to be served.